NHFA Moves Ahead on Consumer Awareness Campaign

November 12, 2008  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on November 2008 The National Home Furnishings Association, based in High Point, is moving ahead with its efforts to increase furniture store sales by educating consumers to the intrinsic value of home furnishings in creating a beautiful, livable home.

NHFA’s Board of Directors has approved a plan for the development of an industry Web site to help consumers through every stage of the furniture buying process. The board’s top priority for the Web portal is an easy-to-navigate format designed to take consumers from the initial step of determining what they need to furnish their home to fit their tastes and lifestyle to finding the home furnishings store retail has the products and level of service they seek.

The association has engaged two consulting firms, Strategic Marketing Solutions and JG Sullivan Interactive, to work with the NHFA staff and leadership to create a strategic vision for an NHFA furniture industry marketing program and consumer Web portal. Principals of the two companies, Ron Carpenter and John G. Sullivan, are spearheading activities.

Doug Kays, NHFA president, emphasized that the new direction will maintain the goal of influencing consumers to view home furnishings as a necessary part of their lives and ultimately spurring business for the whole industry. He also clarified that unlike the previous plan with HGTV, NHFA will be the sole owner of the program, although suppliers, vendors and other key members of the industry are invited to participate and benefit from the marketing thrust.

“We remain very excited about the vast possibilities in the program,” Kays said. “We are not simply developing another Web site for furniture. NHFA’s Web site will provide the consumer, supplier and media with the richest resource for education and information, drive sales directly to the retailers’ stores and provide the entire industry with a sales boost.”